CA2105022A1

CA2105022A1 - Directional means for determining the line a ball should take when struck by a club

Info

Publication number: CA2105022A1
Application number: CA 2105022
Authority: CA
Inventors: In Ju Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-08-27
Filing date: 1993-08-27
Publication date: 1995-02-28

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
There is provided a means for determining the line a ball should take when struck by a club, particularly for the sports of golf and croquet. A laser is located in the head of the club and positioned to emit a beam in the direction of the ball. A
power source is located in the handle of the club with an on/off switch to control operation. The laser could also be located in the handle of the club and a fibre optic cable used to conduit the beam to the head of the club. Alternatively, the laser could be attached to the shaft of the club. All parts of the system could be removable.

Description

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FIELD OF THE I~aYE:l~TIO~

This invention relates to meanii for determining the line a ball should take when struck by a club. In particular, this invention relates to means for use with golf clubs and croquet mallets.

BACRGROUND OF TH~ I~Y$~TIO~

For many sports involv;ng the stri~sing of a club to a ball, ~uch as saolf or croquet, it is important to be able to determine the line the ball should take when struck by the club.

In the game of golf, appro~imstely 40 per cent of the game is spent putting the ball towarcls the hole on the green.
It is important to be able to accural:ely hit the ball so that fewer strokes are required and i3 lower score achieved.

Most golf puttersi have a mark on the center of the club which is used to assist ithe player in determining which direction to hit the ball.

Players visually imagine a line drawn between the ball and the holei and putt along that line. For long putts, it is impossible ito view the hole and the ball at the same time with the result that the likelihood of error is increased.
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This method depends considerably upon the ability of the player to visually line up his putt. For novice players in particular, this is very dificult.

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Alternatively, in practice, t~wo parallel metal or plastic rods may be placed on the ground along the line the ball is to be hit. Players then practicP aiming the ball at the hole without hitting the rods.

It is very cumbersome and inconvenient for players to bring these rods with them to he golf course for practice, and they are not permitted during the game itself.

It is an object of the invention to provide for an improved means for determining the line a ball should take when struck by a club.

According to the invention, there is pro~ided directional means for determining the line a ball should take when struck by a club comprisi~g beam-emitting means associated with the head of said club to visibly indicate said line before contact of said club with said ball.

According to one embodiment Eor determining the line a gol ball should take when struck by a golf putter having a head, a shaft and a han~le, the beam-emitting means is a laser associated with the head o the golf putter, and there is provided a power source for the laser, and control means for selectively connecting the power so~rce to the laser.
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The laser could also be associated with the shaft of the golf putter.

` It is readily apparent that this directional means could also be removably atta~hed to the gol club.

_ 3 - ~ 3 ~RI~F DE~CRIPTIO~ OF TH~ DRAWI~GS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of ~xample with reference to the following drawings in which:
igure 1 is a perspective view of a golf club according to one embodiment of the invention.
igure 2 is a top view of the embodiment of the invention of Figure 1.

D~TAILED D~SCRIPTIO~ -Referrinsl to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a golf putter 2 having a handle 4, shaft 6, and head 8. This first embodiment of the invention shows control means in the form of an ON/OFF
~w:itch 10 and a battery power ~ource 12 located in the handle 4 of the golf putter 2. A wire 14 connects the power source 12 to a laser 16 located in the head of the golf putter 2.

In operation, the golfer presses the switch 10 which connects the battery 12 to the laser :L6. The laser emits a beam ~howing the direction the ball should travel when hit by the gol~ putt~ 2.

It will be understood that the laser 16 could be located anywhere in the head 8 of the golf putter 2. ~ :

According to a second embodiment (not shown), the laser is located in the shaft of the golf putter and a fibre optic cable is located in the shaft o.~ the golf putter with one end connected to the laser and the other end located in the head of the golf putter.

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In operation, the golfer presses the switch which connects the batter to the laser. The laser emits a beam which travels along the fibre optic cable and shows the direction the ball should travel when hit by the golf putter.

According to a further embodiment (not shown~, the laser, battery power source and control means could be removably connected to the golf putter.

The above-described embodiment refers to ~he use of the invention when applied to a golf putter. It will be understood that the invention can be applied to any golf club or to a cro~uet mallet. Instead of using a laser~ a different type of beam-emitting device could be util;sed.

It will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departiny from the true spirit oF the invention which will now be pointed out in the appended claims.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. Directional means for determining the line a ball should take when struck by a club comprising beam-emitting means associated with the head of said club to visibly indicate said line before contact of said club with said ball.

2. Directional means according to claim 1 for determining the line a golf ball should take when struck by a golf club having a handle, a shaft and a head wherein:

(a) said beam-emitting means is a laser associated with said head of said golf club, and including (b) a power source for said laser, and (c) control means for selectively connecting said power source to said laser.

3. Directional means according to claim 2 wherein said golf club is a golf putter.

4. Directional means according to claim 3 for determining the line said golf ball should take when struck by said golf putter wherein said laser is located in said head of said golf putter.

5. Directional means according to claim 3 for determining the line said golf ball should take when struck by said golf putter wherein said laser is removably attached to said head of said golf putter.

6. Directional means according to claim 3 for determining the line said golf ball should take when struck by said golf putter wherein said laser is removably attached to said shaft of said golf putter.

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7. Directional means according to claim 3 for determining the line said golf ball should take when struck by said golf putter wherein said laser is located in said handle of said golf club and a fibre optic cable is located in the shaft of the golf putter with one end connected to said laser and its other end located in said head of said golf putter.

8. Directional means according to claim 3 for determining the line said golf ball should take when struck by said golf putter wherein said laser is located in said handle of said golf club and a fibre optic cable is connected at one end to said laser, its other end being removably attached to said head of the golf club, said fibre optic cable being removably attached to said shaft of said golf club.

9. Directional means according to claim 3 wherein said power source is a battery, said control means is an ON/OFF
switch and wires interconnect said laser, power source and control means.

10. Each and every novel feature or novel combination of features herein disclosed.